Sunbury-based Weis Markets, Inc announced a new program this week that emphasizes new “low, low prices” on thousands of items in the market.
It’s understandable to view this as a sign that prices were too high to begin with. Another explanation is that increased competition has benefited the consumer. Ultimately both interpretations are accurate.
According to SEC documents, the company saw a significant increase in cashflow between 2017 and 2018, largely due to the lowering of the federal business income tax rate from 35% to 21%. The company simply had a bigger margin than it did a year ago, allowing it to cut prices while still maintaining its normal profitability.
As with many grocery stores, some of the price tags you see may have caveats, like requiring a Weis Shoppers Club card or purchasing a specific quantity.
In an unscientific price comparison conducted by The Express-Times this fall, Weis and Wegman’s came out at the higher end. Aldi was tallied as the least expensive option for the sample cart, followed by Target, Walmart, ShopRite, Redner’s, and Giant.
Have you noticed lower prices at Weis on your regular grocery run? Let us know in the comments.
I have shopped at Weis Markets since I moved to Pennsylvania in October of 1999.. I have stayed a loyal Customer since May of 2018. I slowly noticed that every year they were increasing almost every item I used for my home and family. In May I was in a rush and Giant was closer so I did my big Grocery shopping that day at Giant. I bought all of the same products I would by at Weis and was shocked that my grocery bill at Giant was over $100 dollars cheaper than your stores. I decided at that point to switch stores for the very first time since moving to the area. When I heard you reduced your pricing on over 7000 items I was so excited. I went back last week and was very disappointed that every product I usually buy had no change at all. As a matter of fact, you started putting tags on items saying they were the lowest prices and there not!!! You will be out of business in a couple years if not sooner! Take a look at what I’ve spent in the last ten years at your store and I guarantee you will lose other Customers. I shop in the East York store on Eastern Boulevard in York PA and I can’t tell you how many times I have to tell your produce managers that the items are expired for days and still have them on the shelves. You have major problems and I’m sure it happens in other Weis markets as I’ve seen it in Red Lion and in West York. I wonder if the slashed prices are only in cents. You all should be ashamed of yourselves!!!! In addition, I never get any coupons at the register like I used to a year and a half ago as well as your Gas rewards program being cut in half! That’s another reason why I loved shopping at Weis. Giant has upped their Gas rewards and every week they have new items to triple your gas rewards for Every $50 dollars spent which is what Weis was all about a year ago! Very very sad.